1. Hard boil the eggs: put them in a large pan and cover them with cold water. Heat the water. When the water boils, reduce the heat and simmer the eggs for 10 minutes. Stir the eggs twice so they cook evenly.

2. Drain the eggs, run them under cold water (to prevent the yolk from turning greenish), remove the shells, dry the eggs, and chop roughly into large squares.

3. Put the chopped eggs in a large bowl. Add the onions, salt, and pepper and ix well. Add enough mayonnaise to bind the mixture together.

4. Stir in the mustard (if using) and chopped parsley.

5. If you have time, chill the mixture before serving, as is or on toast.

Did you know it’s possible to make a creamy shake with not a single drop of milk–or any other dairy product? This shake from Jenni Fleetwood’s 20 Minute Cookbook includes just 3 ingredients: cashews, superfine sugar, and ground cinnamon–perfect for vegans, people with dairy allergies, and people like my boyfriend and I who struggle to use up milk before it goes bad. It may be a while before I make this one as cashews, even in bits, are expensive, but I’m looking forward to trying it as soon as I can find them on sale.

Yield: serves 4-6

Prep time: 5 minutes

Total time: 5 minutes, plus chilling

This picture doesn’t actually go with the recipe, but it looks the most like the picture in the original cookbook.

For a smoother drink, make this the night before, let it stand in the fridge overnight, and strain before serving. You can stir in a little water if the mixture seems too thick.

1. Boil water.

2. Finely grind the cashew nuts in a food processor. Add sugar and cinnamon and grind again to make a smooth nut paste.

3. With the motor still running, gradually pour in 3 3/4 cups (900 ml/1 1/2 pints) boiilng water, until the drink becomes smooth and frothy. Scrape down the mixture occasionally, as needed.

4. Pour the mixture into a container, cover, and chill. (It doesn’t say how long to chill it, so I’ll probably put it in for a short time, perhaps half an hour, and check it to see if it has the sort of texture I want). Stir well before serving. Best served in tall glasses, with a couple of ice cubes on the bottom.

I love the roasted citrus flavor of Clementine-Fennel chicken, but don’t always have fennel on hand or the time to make it. This more streamlined recipe from Bildner and Son’s Cookbook gets a similar sweet-and-savory effect from nectarines, chicken stock, onions and garlic, and takes a little over 30 minutes to make.

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: A little over 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 large onion

4 medium cloves garlic

2 tablespoons butter

4 boneless half chicken breasts

1 large nectarine

1/2 cup chicken stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Optional: To achieve a similar effect to the clementine-fennel chicken, add a little mustard and a little brown sugar. I’d start with about a teaspoon of each, and add more to taste.

Want to know the secret for cooking cauliflower without getting that nasty cruciferous vegetable* smell all over your house?

You oven-roast it.

Oven-roasting makes the taste milder as well as the smell. It also lends cauliflower a wonderfully crisp, crunchy texture. My mother usually keeps it simple, roasting cauliflower with a little oil, salt, and pepper. I enjoy it this way as a side, but it can smell and taste even more interesting. Check out Eat Live Run’s version, which uses cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

Yield: Serves 2-4 as a side dish

Prep time: 10-15 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all spices together in a small bowl or cup. (Alternatively, if you don’t want to have extra dishes to wash, skip this step and sprinkle spices evenly over the cauliflower in step 2).

2. Drizzle olive oil all over cauliflower florets and sprinkle with spice mix. Toss together and lay out on a lined sheet tray.

3. Roast spicy cauliflower for 25-30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

4. Serve!

The added cumin in this recipe makes the cauliflower complement Indian food even better!

*the family of veggies that cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts come from. Notice how they can all smell terrible?